Prepared by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses

DEATHWATCHREPORT 2018

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The 2017-2018death toll

In addition to these deaths

The percentages

It’s the tip of the iceberg

ABOUT

The toll for this racing year is 119 horses - 16 less than last year

Many thousands of horses die every year from racing related injuries off the track in training or they are killed prematurely when they are no longer commercially viable.

The 119 horses that died on track during this period represent 0.34% of the approx 35,000 horses racing each year.

Many thousands more disappear or cycle out of the racing industry, also known as wastage.

ABOUT

Deathwatch Report 2018 is the fifth annual report that summarises all ontrack deaths of racehorses around Australia over the past 12 months.

Research and production is by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses. This report was initiated because the racing industry does not collate and publish specific information relating to on course horse deaths themselves.

From the period 1st of August 2017 to 31st of July 2018 (the ‘racing year’), we have monitored every race Australia-wide and gathered data on the deaths of racehorses on Australian racetracks.

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THE MOST LETHAL TRACK IN AUSTRALIA WAS WARWICK FARM IN NEW SOUTH WALES

WITH 9 DEATHS

46 OF THE HORSES THAT WERE KILLED

HAD BEEN RACED AS A 2-YEAR-OLD

7 OF THE HORSES WERE 2 WHEN

THEY DIED

THE STATE WITH THE HIGHEST

RECORDED DEATHS WAS

NSW (52) FOLLOWED BY VIC (24) AND

QLD (24)

16 HORSES COLLAPSED AND

DIED

11 HORSES DIED FROM CARDIAC

CAUSES

4 HORSES DIED FROM BLEEDS

ON AVERAGE ONE HORSE

WILL DIE ON AN AUSTRALIAN RACE TRACK

EVERY 3 DAYS

119 RACEHORSES WERE KILLED

ON TRACK (OR SOON AFTER

RACING): MOST COMMONLY FOR CATASTROPHIC

FRONT LIMB INJURY

It is important to note that most states do not report deaths while training or in trials. From this, it can be drawn that if these deaths were disclosed, the total number of deaths would be far higher.

Data for the Deathwatch Report has been gathered from each state’s official stewards reports, which are published on the individual state websites, as well as the Australian Racing Fact Book and various media outlets.

SPECIFIC INJURIES INCLUDE BROKEN NECK, BROKEN PELVIS, RUPTURED AORTA, BROKEN HUMERUS. OTHERS ARE SIMPLY CATEGORISED AS ‘SERIOUS RACING INJURY’ WITH LITTLE TO NO DETAILS DISCLOSED.

SOURCES OF DATA + KEY FINDINGS

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In 2014, there were 125 deaths. This is one death every 2.9 days.

In 2015, there were 116 deaths. This is one death every 3 days.

In 2016, there were 132 deaths. This is one death every 2.8 days.

In 2017, there were 137 deaths. This is one death every 2.6 days.

COMPARISON TO OTHER YEARS

Of the 119 horses that died on track, by far the most common cause of death was catastrophic front limb injury with 56 occurrences. Catastrophic hind limb injury was the second leading cause of death with 17 occurrences. Other causes of death were massive bleeds and cardiac failure.

+ COMPARISON TO OTHER YEARS

CAUSES OF DEATH

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Some of the horses in this report are listed as ‘unnamed’. These are horses who have usually died during trackwork or training before being given an official racing name.

The only state to disclose such deaths is New South Wales. The Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses has been calling on other states to include trackwork, trial and training deaths in their stewards reports to provide a more accurate picture of racing deaths across the country.

‘UNNAMED’ HORSES

Scotsdale Sidilly JosanemaCharson’s Gift Chief Pontiac Musgrey HillGrateful Hussy Bernie Boy BregenzSeektowin Springbok FlyerBilly Can About The JourneyMr Mcbu StickemupOskastar ShakhanSomething To Share

‘ACTIVE’ (AS AT 1 AUGUST 2018) At the time of writing this report, some of the horses named are still listed as ‘active’ on Racing Australia - some of whom have been dead for almost a year. Racing Australia must be more proactive and regularly update horses as ‘deceased’ to be more transparent and not to mislead the public.

STILL ACTIVE + ‘UNNAMED’

NOTE: THESE HORSES WERE CHECKED FOR THE FINAL TIME AT 1 AUGUST 2018; AND COULD SINCE HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THEIR TRUE STATUS.

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FIRST PLACE / 2015BEST PRINT CAMPAIGN

THIRD PLACE / 2014BEST AD CAMPAIGN

FIRST PLACE / 2013BEST PRINT CAMPAIGN

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DEATHS BY

STATE

STATISTICS

DEATHS BY DISCIPLINE

*It should be noted that the vast majority of races run in Australia are flat races, with jumps racing only being run on a limited season in Victoria and South Australia. Jumps racing remains 19 times more dangerous than flat racing.

RACED AS A 2-YEAR-OLD

*Many of the horses who did not race as a 2-year-old were in fact raced as a 3-year-old, which is still an under-developed stage.

DEATHS BY

CAUSE

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CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDIES

JOSANEMA SURVIVED

Josanema was a 4-year-old racehorse who never ran a race. He died in trackwork at Newcastle racecourse on the 8th of November 2018.

Just one week later on the 15th of November 2018, 4-year-old gelding Somashini also died in trackwork at Warwick Farm. He never race a race either, and died of ‘catastrophic fractures of the neck and skull’.

If these deaths had have occured in any other state, we’d never know about them. Only New South Wales disclose trackwork and trial deaths.

Survived didn’t survive the racing industry. He died of a catastrophic hind limb injury.

The 8-year-old gelding ‘broke down’ at Morphettville in South Australia and fractured his near hind cannon bone.

He joins other ironically named horses like ‘Grave Digger’ and ‘He’s Tough Enough’ who also died this racing year.

Never ran a race The ironically named

IMAGE: IAN CURRIE

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CASE STUDIES

CASE STUDIES

LANDON PRIVATE IDAHO

There is growing concern about the racing of underdeveloped horses in 2-year-old racing and training.

Landon’s story is yet another example of why it is simply irresponsible for the industry to allow horses to be raced as babies.

The 2-year-old gelding was training in trackwork at Randwick on 28 April 2018 and fractured his humerus.

Bleeds are not an uncommon occurrence in horse racing. Sadly, some bleeds are so serious that it kills horses right there on the track. This is what happened to Private Idaho.

The 5-year-old gelding started his racing career as a 2-year-old, and 3 only years later, fell and was unable to rise. It was later discovered he died of a bleed.

He joins other horses who suffer the same fate, like 9-year-old jumps horse, About The Journey, who tumbled over a jump in a Victorian race and ruptured an aorta.

Raced as a baby Bled to death

IMAGE: IAN CURRIE

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Regal Monarch broke a leg in race 4 at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day and was floated from Flemington to be euthanised at a veterinary clinic. In a desperate attempt to save face after years of catastrophe and growing public concern about horse racing’s social licence, the industry waited until late that night to officially confirm his death, despite staff at Regal Monarch’s stable confirming he was dead before the Melbourne Cup was even run.

THE 2017 MELBOURNE CUP DAY WAS NO EXCEPTION.

MELBOURNE CUP TENDS TO BE THE ONLY TIME OF THE YEAR WHEN THE AVERAGE PERSON HEARS ABOUT RACING DEATHS. THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN

DISASTROUS FOR THE RACING INDUSTRY, WITH MULTIPLE DEATHS: VEREMA IN 2013, ADMIRE RAKTI AND ARALDO IN 2014 AND RED CADEAUX IN 2015.

MANY SPECULATED THAT THE RACING INDUSTRY ONLY DID THIS TO AVOID BAD PUBLICITY AND INTENTIONALLY WAITED UNTIL ALL MAJOR NEWS STORIES ABOUT THE

DAY WERE AIRED THAT EVENING.

RACING AUSTRALIA WERE CONTACTED ON MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS TO CLARIFY TIMING. THEY NEVER RESPONDED.

Melbourne Cup Day tragedyREGAL MONARCH

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ELEMENT OF CHANCE UNNAMED COLT GARFUNKELTRUE PASSION FOUDRE BOULON HOLD MY BEERPROSPECT ROAD REMEMBER BERLIN LANI GIRLALABASTA BAY PURRARI URBAN CHARMBANCA DREAM UKELELE TOM LIBELLEUNNAMED 2YO ANXPENSE KUROSHIO EXPRESSCESTOS RESCIND SUDDENLY SPICEOLSSON LEPA BRENA MIDNIGHT LIAISONSHORT SHIFT ORIENT LINE BREGENZSHOCKWAVE MISS WESTERN PEARL RIZIZTHE PACIFIER MUSGREY HILL MORE THAN AHOLIDAYSCOTSDALE LOMAZZO MANSOURAMISHANI GLADIATOR COSGROVE SEEKTOWINWESTBROOK BRING BACK TIME SPRINGBOK FLYERSIDILLY SUEDAMA SUN IT’S RELATIVEBANNATYNE DON’T DENY US PRIVATE IDAHONATADOLA ASSERTIVE LOVE BILLY CANSTAYS ALL DAY JUNCTION ROAD ABOUT THE JOURNEYMINNIE DOWNS TALMET MR MCBUNAUGHTY THOUGHTS GRATEFUL HISSY STICKEMUPAND JUBILATIONS TRINKET CHICK HE’S TOUGH ENOUGHSTEERING THE BIG BOSS SURVIVEDKYRGIOS BERNIE BOY SOMETHING TO SHAREREGAL MONARCH KNIGHT COMMANDER UISCE BEATHA BAEMAX GRAVE DIGGER OSKASTARRICH N HOLY NILETTE SHAKHANLUCKY SHOW IT’S A LOTTERY MUJADALEJOSANEMA BILL ‘N’ EVE NOW AND ZENMUKADDAMAH SON WONDER BOLT THE WORLD OVERSOMASHINI SEASONAL CLASSY ALRAGGLE VARR STAR ORDER PENNY FOR A POUNDCHIPS A PLENTY BELGROVE LANDONCHARSON’S GIFT CRIMSON’S ROCKET JONDY SHAMALARUSTIC MELODY SIR STATHAM MACKINGTOSHHULEO DAPKOS DASSAULT MIRAGEDANCHAI GIRL SUNDAY TRIKSINGCHIEF PONTIAC VANILOQUIO NZINGHADAGGA BOY FAITHFULL NEAR QUEUEGLISTERING LAKSHME GUARDSTILLATION SEPTAMORE

REST IN PEACE

THE NAMES

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANY HORSES THAT HAVE SUSTAINED INJURIES DURING A RACE AND WERE TAKEN OFF THE TRACK TO AVOID THEIR DEATHS

BEING RECORDED IN THE STEWARDS REPORTS AND HENCE BECOMING PUBIC KNOWLEDGE.

This report was written by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses.

If you have any more information to share, get in touch. We will never divulge sources.

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